Labornet Japan is a network of citizens, unionists, activists, scholars and others from all walks of life to share information especially about rights and struggles in and outside of Japan. Established in 2001, the group now has more than 500 members, and the membership is growing. The English site introduces some reports shared on Labornet Japan website and other sources outside of Japan.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Great Success of Workers' Rally against Nuclear Power Plants, Aug. 12: Let's Put Labor Unions in the Center of the Struggle!

Seven labor unions including All Japan
Dockworkers' Union, National Railway Workers' Union, Japan Construction and
Transport Industry Workers Solidarity Union, National Union of General Workers
and Tokyo Sanitation Workers' Union jointly held an anti-nuclear power plants
rally in Tokyo in the afternoon of August 12.1,260 people gathered at the venue, Tiara Koto, in Koto-ku. In the
beginning of "Workers' Rally to Build the Society Free of Nuclear Power
Plants, Aug.12," HIMENO Yozo who introduced himself as a 'singer-farmer'
performed "Tsunagaru Inochi (life connecting with one another)" and a
few other impressive pieces. ITO Akinobu followed with a proposal of
fundamental principles for labor unions in practicing anti-nuclear power
activities. Subsequently, KOIDE Hiroaki, an assistant professor at Kyoto
University's Research Reactor Institute (photo), gave a lecture titled
"Beyond the Reality of Radiation Contamination." "A
1-million-kilowatt nuclear reactor emits several thousand times more radiation
than a Hiroshima-type atomic bomb. It is impossible for human beings to coexist
with nuclear power plants," said KOIDE. "Since the worst ever
disaster of March 11, 2011, it has been the responsibility for all of us to
protect children that are much more vulnerable to the damages caused by
radiation." Also pointing out that many labor unions had been supportive
to the government and industry regarding the development of nuclear energy,
KOIDE strongly appealed to the audience that unions should play central roles in
the struggle in eliminating nuclear power plants. (By MT, Labornet
Reporter)DetailedReport with PhotosArchive Video (KOIDE's lecture, 2 hrs.,Japanese w/out subtitles)HighlightScene of the Lecture (Why did I not become a pro-government academic?, 3 min.,Japanese w/out subtitles)Photoby shinya (participants chanting slogans for solidarity)